The golden ratio : the story of phi, the world's most astonishing number by Mario Livio(
Book
)27
editions published
between
2002
and
2008
in
English and Chinese
and held by
2,302 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
Throughout history, thinkers from mathematicians to theologians have pondered the mysterious relationship between numbers
and the nature of reality. In this fascinating book, the author tells the tale of a number at the heart of that mystery: phi,
or 1.6180339887 ... This curious mathematical relationship, widely known as "The Golden Ratio," was discovered by Euclid more
than two thousand years ago because of its crucial role in the construction of the pentagram, to which magical properties
had been attributed. Since then it has shown a propensity to appear in the most astonishing variety of places, from mollusk
shells, sunflower florets, and rose petals to the shape of the galaxy. Psychological studies have investigated whether the
Golden Ratio is the most aesthetically pleasing proportion extant, and it has been asserted that the creators of the Pyramids
and the Parthenon employed it. It is believed to feature in works of art from Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa to Salvador Dali's
The Sacrament of the Last Supper, and poets and composers have used it in their works. It has even been found to be connected
to the behavior of the stock market! This book is a captivating journey through art and architecture, botany and biology,
physics and mathematics. It tells the human story of numerous phi-fixated individuals, including the followers of Pythagoras
who believed that this proportion revealed the hand of God; astronomer Johannes Kepler, who saw phi as the greatest treasure
of geometry; such Renaissance thinkers as mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa; and such masters of the modern world as
Goethe, Cezanne, Bartok, and physicist Roger Penrose. Wherever his quest for the meaning of phi takes him, the author reveals
the world as a place where order, beauty, and eternal mystery will always coexist

The accelerating universe : infinite expansion, the cosmological constant, and the beauty of the cosmos by Mario Livio(
Book
)12
editions published
between
2000
and
2001
in
English
and held by
942 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
"In one of the most surprising and important findings in cosmology in the century, astronomers recently discovered that the
universe may be expanding at an ever-increasing rate." "As astrophysicist Mario Livio explains in this book, most cosmologists
have long believed that the universe will expand at a gradually decreasing rate until the expansion effectively stops. The
discovery that the expansion appears in fact to be speeding up - and therefore that the universe will keep expanding faster
and faster for infinity - throws the view of a perfectly balanced "beautiful universe" into question." "Mario Livio introduces
readers to the "old cosmology," which culminated in the view of the perfectly balanced universe, and then presents all of
the ideas being explored by cosmologists in the "new cosmology" as they come to terms with the discovery of acceleration.
Offering clear explanations of all the key concepts and theoretical ideas, Livio is a guide through this exciting frontier
in science today."--Jacket

Why? : what makes us curious by Mario Livio(
Book
)10
editions published
between
2017
and
2018
in
English and Italian
and held by
761 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
"This is a fascinating examination of perhaps our most human characteristic, our innate curiosity, our deep desire to know
why. Why are we more distracted by a cell-phone conversation, where we can hear only one side of the dialogue, than by an
overheard argument between two people? Are children more curious than adults? What is the source of the morbid curiosity that
causes bystanders to gather at crime scenes or traffic accidents? What evolutionary purpose does curiosity serve? How does
our mind choose what to be curious about? Why? explores these and many other intriguing questions. Curiosity is essential
to creativity. It is a necessary ingredient in so many art forms, from mystery novels and film dramas to painting, sculpture,
and music. It is the principal driver of science, and yet there is no scientific consensus on why we humans are so curious
or about the precise mechanisms in our brain that are responsible for curiosity. Mario Livio investigates curiosity through
the lives of such paragons of inquisitiveness as Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Feynman. He interviewed a range of exceptionally
curious people from an astronaut with degrees in statistics, medicine, and literature to a rock guitarist with a PhD in astrophysics.
Because of Livio's own insatiable curiosity, Why? is an irresistible and entertaining book that will captivate anyone who
is curious about curiosity."--Jacket

The great math mystery by Mario Livio(
Visual
)2
editions published
in
2015
in
English
and held by
560 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
Astrophysicist Mario Livio, along with a colorful cast of mathematicians, physicists, and engineers, follow math from Pythagoras
to Einstein and beyond, all leading to the ultimate riddle: Is math an invention or a discovery? Humankind's clever trick,
or the language of the universe? Join Nova for a mathematical mystery tour, a provocative exploration of math's astonishing
power across the centuries

The analysis of emission lines : a meeting in honour of the 70th birthdays of D.E. Osterbrock & M.J. Seaton : proceedings
of the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 16-18, 1994 by Space Telescope Science Institute (U.S.)(
Book
)15
editions published
between
1995
and
2005
in
English
and held by
262 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
What can emission lines tell us about an astrophysical object? A workshop at the Space Telescope Science Institute was dedicated
to address just this question – for a host of objects (including planetary nebulae and active galactic nuclei) across a broad
range of wavelengths (from the infrared through to gamma-rays). Thirteen review articles from internationally renowned experts
are presented in this volume. They provide an edited and coherent overview of the latest technical data, techniques in and
applications of the study of emission lines from a variety of objects. Chapters include the theory of radiative transfer,
photoionising shocks, and emission lines from stellar winds, as well as useful summaries of abundance determinations, atomic
data, and diagnostics for IR, UV, gamma-ray and molecular lines. Together these review articles provide an overview of the
analysis of emission lines. They summarise current knowledge, highlight outstanding problems and provide focus for fruitful
future research. In this way they provide an excellent introduction for graduate students and reference for professionals

Astrophysics of life : proceedings of the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 6-9,
2002 by Space Telescope Science Institute (U.S.)(
Book
)13
editions published
between
2005
and
2011
in
English
and held by
147 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
"This book covers a range of topics relevant to the search for life in the Universe, including cosmology and its implications
for the emergence of life, the habitable zone in the Milky Way Galaxy, the formation of stars and planets, the study of interstellar
and interplanetary matter, searches for extrasolar, planets, the synthesis of organic material in space, and spectroscopic
signature that could be used to detect life. This is an invaluable resource for both professional researchers and graduate
students."--Jacket

Interacting binaries by Steven N Shore(
Book
)17
editions published
between
1992
and
2011
in
English and Undetermined
and held by
140 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
Observational and theoretical issues of interacting binaries was the topic of the 22nd of the renowned Advanced Course of
the Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy. The three contributions by outstanding experts collected in this book deal
with observations, symbiotic stars, cataclysmic variables, massive binaries and X-ray binaries thus filling a gap in the existing
literature. The articles review the state of the art and address both students and researchers. The accessible and didactic
approach makes the book a valuable source for future work on interacting binary stars whose study is essential for a better
understandingof stellar evolution

Planets to cosmology : essential science in the final years of the Hubble Space Telescope : proceedings of the Space Telescope
Science Institute Symposium, held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 3-6, 2004 by Space Telescope Science Institute (U.S.)(
Book
)13
editions published
between
2006
and
2010
in
English
and held by
132 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
With the Hubble Space Telepscope's next servicing mission still uncertain, identifying the most crucial science to be performed
by this superb telescope has become of paramount importance. With this goal in mind, this book presents a review of some of
the most important open questions in astronomy today. World experts examine topics ranging from extrasolar planets and star
formation to supermassive black holes and the reionization of the universe. Special emphasis is placed on what astronomical
observations should be carried out during the next few years to enable breakthroughs in our understanding of a complex and
dynamic universe. In particular, the reviewers attempt to identify those topics to which the Hubble Space Telescope can uniquely
contribute. The special emphasis on future research makes this book an essential resource for both professional researchers
and graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics

A decade of extrasolar planets around normal stars : proceedings of the Space Telescope Science Institute symposium, held
in Baltimore, Maryland, May 2-5, 2005 by Space Telescope Science Institute (U.S.)(
Book
)10
editions published
between
2008
and
2010
in
English
and held by
125 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
"Humans have long thought that planetary systems similar to our own should exist around stars other than the Sun, yet the
search for planets outside our Solar System has had a dismal history of discoveries that could not be confirmed. However,
this all changed in 1995, with the past decade witnessing astonishing progress in this field; we now know of more than 200
extrasolar planets. These findings mark crucial milestones in the search for extraterrestrial life - arguably one of the most
intriguing endeavors of modern science." "These proceedings from the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium on extrasolar
planets explore one of the hottest topics in astronomy today. Discussions include the Kepler mission, observational constraints
on dust disk lifetimes and the implications for planet formation. and gravitational instabilities in protoplanetary disks.
With review papers written by world experts in their fields, this is an important resource on extrasolar planets."--book jacket